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In Vitro Derivation of Functional Insulin-Producing Cells From Human Embryonic Stem Cells

In Vitro Derivation of Functional Insulin-Producing Cells From Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Wei Jiang, Yan Shi, Dongxin Zhao, Song Chen, Jun Yong, Jing Zhang, Tingting Qing, Xiaoning Sun, Peng Zhang, Mingxiao Ding, Dongsheng Li, Hongkui Deng

Cell Res. 2007 Apr;17(4):333-44.

PMID: 17426693

Abstract:

The capacity for self-renewal and differentiation of human embryonic stem (ES) cells makes them a potential source for generation of pancreatic beta cells for treating type I diabetes mellitus. Here, we report a newly developed and effective method, carried out in a serum-free system, which induced human ES cells to differentiate into insulin-producing cells. Activin A was used in the initial stage to induce definitive endoderm differentiation from human ES cells, as detected by the expression of the definitive endoderm markers Sox17 and Brachyury. Further, all-trans retinoic acid (RA) was used to promote pancreatic differentiation, as indicated by the expression of the early pancreatic transcription factors pdx1 and hlxb9. After maturation in DMEM/F12 serum-free medium with bFGF and nicotinamide, the differentiated cells expressed islet specific markers such as C-peptide, insulin, glucagon and glut2. The percentage of C-peptide-positive cells exceeded 15%. The secretion of insulin and C-peptide by these cells corresponded to the variations in glucose levels. When transplanted into renal capsules of Streptozotocin (STZ)-treated nude mice, these differentiated human ES cells survived and maintained the expression of beta cell marker genes, including C-peptide, pdx1, glucokinase, nkx6.1, IAPP, pax6 and Tcf1. Thirty percent of the transplanted nude mice exhibited apparent restoration of stable euglycemia; and the corrected phenotype was sustained for more than six weeks. Our new method provides a promising in vitro differentiation model for studying the mechanisms of human pancreas development and illustrates the potential of using human ES cells for the treatment of type I diabetes mellitus.

Chemicals Related in the Paper:

Catalog Number	Product Name	Structure	CAS Number	Price
IAR42416323	Glucokinase from human pancreas			Price

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